Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Citrus aurantifolius cultivar Mosquito
The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Citrus plant, botanically known as Citrus aurantifolius, commercially known as Lime, and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Mosquitoxe2x80x99.
The new Citrus was discovered by the Inventor in 1985 in a controlled environment in Boskoop, The Netherlands, as a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of an unidentified selection of Citrus aurantifolius, not patented. The new Citrus was selected by the Inventor on the basis of its unique dark red-colored developing leaves and green and yellow variegated fully expanded leaves.
Asexual reproduction of the new Citrus by cuttings in a controlled environment in Boskoop, The Netherlands, since 1987, has shown that the unique features of this new Citrus are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
Plants of the cultivar Mosquito have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Mosquitoxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Mosquitoxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Upright and rounded plant form.
2. Freely branching growth habit.
3. Dark red-colored developing leaves.
4. Green and yellow variegated fully expanded leaves.
Plants of the cultivar Mosquito differ from the parent selection and other Lime cultivars known to the Inventor in its unique dark red-colored developing leaves.